Here is a list of frequently asked questions about "Freakfest On State Street," the new city-sanctioned event planned for the night of Oct. 28, along State Street in Madison.

Click on the links below for brief information about topics related to the event. Check back for frequent updates:

Halloween Information: History | City's Plan | Hours | Tickets | Music | Food | Parking | Taxis | Transportation Information | Police Safety Recommendations |Glass Free Zone | Related Facebook Groups

History

Click here to read an article about the history of Halloween on State Street.

City's Plan

A long and sometimes infamous tradition in Madison, the annual Halloween celebrations along State Street date back to the 1970s.

City officials said that with attendance sometimes hovering around 70,000 people, various arrests and reports of violence and property damage have sometimes accompanied the event, which typically occurred the Saturday prior to Halloween.

In a report to Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz in July, Madison City Attorney Michael P. May said that in recent years, the celebrations have become "near riots." May wrote that the event has sometimes "taxed the public safety resources of the City, including the Police and Fire Departments, and public safety agencies for the UW, Dane County, and other municipalities."

He said that authorities have often resorted to using pepper spray or other crowd-dispersal agents to break up the festivities.

According to city officials, last year's event cost taxpayers $600,000 as various government agencies had to assist in the policing the event.

This year, Cieslewicz spearheaded an effort to organize the event so as to corral the excesses that have sometimes marred it and the city's reputation in years past. City and law-enforcement officials have said that the new plan was designed to curb the rioting, injuries and property damage that have sometimes accompanied the celebration in years past.

To do this, Cieslewicz and the Madison Common Council adopted a plan that would ring a fence around State Street, sell tickets for $5 apiece, and the event's capacity will be capped at 80,000.

The new event is being coordinated by the city, the Halloween Action Committee, a organization made up of UW-Madison students, and promoter John Kunz Rechristened as "Freakfest On State Street," the event will be held from 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 28, to 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 29. Two stages of music and various food vendors will be found within the fenced in area.

State Street will be fenced off starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Starting then, authorities will only permit those with a ticket and/or have their hands stamped to enter the State Street area. Organizers said that once a person's hand is stamped, they can enter or exit the area up until 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.

There will be access through nine gates along the State Street area, from the Capitol Square to Lake Street.

Hours

The event will be held from 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 28, to 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 29.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased for $5 each. Organizers said that those seeking to buy tickets will be allowed to purchase up to four tickets.

Ticket booths will accept only cash or local checks.

Organizers said that only 80,000 tickets will be sold.

Advanced tickets will be for sale at a trailer on the 700 block of State Street (near the UW's Library Mall) and at the city's Parks Division's office, located at 215 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Tickets will be for sale at the Parks Division office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased there from Oct. 2 through Oct. 27.

Tickets can be purchased from the Library Mall trailer from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Oct. 2 through Oct. 25.

The trailer's hours will be expanded on Oct. 26 froom noon to 9 p.m. and on Oct. 27 from noon to 10 p.m.

On the day of "Freakfest," tickets can be purchased at the trailer from 9:30 a.m. until close. Three additional ticket booth locations along State Street will also sell tickets from 1 p.m. until close.

Organizers said that those who live, work, own businesses or own property on the State Street will be provided a complimentary ticket. Those seeking a comp ticket will be required to fill out a city-sanctioned request form.

City's Form To Request Complimentary Ticket For State Street Residents (PDF Format)
City's Form To Request Complimentary Ticket For State Street Businesses/Employees (PDF Format)

Officials said that there will be no comp tickets available the day of the event.

Music

Two stages of live music will be part of the event.

The two stages will be located at West Gorham and State Street -- between West Johnson Street and West Gilman Street -- and near the state Capitol at the intersections of West Mifflin Street, State Street and North Carroll Street.

The performances are scheduled to start by 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and be completed by 1:30 a.m., on Sunday. According to the music promoter, the final performers are scheduled to begin playing by midnight.

The following artists are scheduled to perform:

I Voted For Kodos
The CREST
Plunket
The Mighty Short Bus
DJ Jeremy Thomas
Paper Tiger
Depth Beyond Depth

Food

Food vendors will be selling food/beverages in the 800 block of State Street, near the UW's Library Mall, on the day of the event.

The following food vendors are expected:

Papi's Dogs
Papa Bear
Curt's Gourmet Popcorn
Bluefin Sushi
Wei's Food to Go
Natural Juice
Amazin' Asian
Silky's
Silky's II
Buraka
Loose Juice
Taste of Jamaica
Fresh Cool Drinks
Ingrid's Lunchbox
Senor Peppers
JD's Express
Las Palmas
I'm Here

Parking

According city officials, parking will be restricted in certain areas around State Street.

Portion of East Mifflin Street, North Carroll Street, Wisconsin Avenue, North Henry Street, West Gorham Street, West Johnson Street, West Gillman Street, North Lake Street and North Broom Street will be declared no parking zones.

For more information about no parking zones, visit the city's Alternate Routes/No Parking Areas Map (PDF Format).

There are six public parking ramps in the immediate State Street area. They are:

State Street Capitol Ramp
Address: 214 N. Carroll St.
Located between Dayton and Johnson and Carroll and State
State Street Campus Ramp
Address: 430 N. Frances St. and 415 N. Lake St.
Located between University and State and Lake and Frances
Overture Center Ramp
Address: 318 W. Mifflin St.
Located between Dayton and Mifflin and Henry and Broom
Brayton Lot
Address: 1 South Butler St.
Located between East Washington and Main
Government East
Address: 215 S. Pinckney St.
Located between Doty and Wilson
Capitol Square North
Address: 218 East Mifflin St.
Located between Webster and Butler

City officials said on Thursday that nearby Buckeye Lot will be closed. It is located at:

Buckeye Lot
Address: 214 W. Gorham St.
Located between Gilman and Gorham and Carroll and State.

For more information about parking, visit the city's Parking Information.

Taxis

Three taxis stands will available around the State Street area, according to city officials.

They will be located on:

One on Langdon Street between North Lake Street and North Park Street.
North Frances Street between North Bassett Street and North Lake Street and University Avenue and West Johnson Street.
One on East Johnson Street between Wisconsin Avenue and North Carroll Street

Transportation Information

Police recommend following Highway 12 (Beltline) to John Nolen Drive, exit 263., and then take the exit for Broom Street, which leads to State Street.

Authorities recommend attendees use taxis and public transportation as parking will be very limited. Offical said to expect schedule and stop changes due to closing of State Street.

Madison Metro officials announced several bus routes will detour around the downtown area starting at 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28 at 5:25 p.m. Routes 81 & 82 will also detour on Saturday because of the Halloween events.

For the latest information, please visit Madison Metro.

Police Safety Recommendations

No weapons including fake weapons or ones as part of your costume. Dangerous or inappropriate items, as determined by the police, will be confiscated.
Those consuming alcohol in the establishments must be age 21 and have photo identification. Out-of-state residents will need two forms of identification.
No alcohol is allowed on public property including streets, sidewalks, alleyways or in vehicles.

Glass Free Zone

According to city officials, a "glass free zone" will go into effect from Oct. 27 through Oct. 29 between 9:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Related Facebook Groups

After the city announced its new plans for the 2006 Freakfest on State Street, University of Wisconsin-Madison students Tom Wangard and Brandon Sivret founded a Facebook group in protest, called "Move Halloween to Langdon."

After discussing concerns with city leaders, the group's leaders decided that moving Halloween to Langdon wasn't actually a good idea and posed a number of safety concerns. The group has shifted gears and now functions as the Facebook for the Halloween Action Committee. The group seeks student input on Halloween and is working with the city to make the event a success.

The Coalition for Reclaiming Area Streets on Halloween, or CRASH Madison, is another group that formed because it was disappointed with the city's plans for Halloween. Founded by Phil Ejercito, the group goal is to help provide "a safer, happier time in Madison during Halloween."

CRASH Madison is upset about the city's planning for Halloween, including its decision to fence off State Street, charge $5 admission and have private security work entrances. It also is disappointed that the city has "yet to provide clear answers about how, when, or why State Street will be cleared at the end of the night."

The group plans to try to keep people safe and happy on Halloween weekend by providing instant text message updates during the festivities. It also said it will provide resources and information about sexual assault awareness, harassment reporting options, and safe transportation options. The group also wants to "encourage pot smoking." According to the group's Web site: "Everyone agrees that Halloween would be a much happier and safer time if the drunks were replaced with stoners."

Facebook Group Page For CRASH Madison

Halloween Action Committee Facebook Group